In the midst of an epic glut in commercial and residential real estate capacity, there is no need to move the Urban Development Boundary. The UDB extends in a ragged edge along the western edge of Miami-Dade, separating the urban service area from farmland and open space edging toward the Everglades. But the county commission could not summon the political will to stop another application to move the Urban Development Boundary. If there was ever a time to say, OK we made some mistakes in the past approving unsustainable growth but now is the time to reconsider and act in good faith on behalf of taxpayers, this was it. But it wasn't. Yesterday the commission decided to continue to litigate against the state of Florida and an administrative court decision to uphold the state's position that a new Lowe's store outside the Urban Development Boundary violated the state's Growth Management Act (see, Lowe's below) Today, the commission voted to "transmit" without recommendation the Ferro application in order to get the judgment of the state that it rejected in the Lowe's case.
What is so amazing, here, is that Natacha Seijas and the unreformable majority keeps saying that the county should "retain" control; ie. local control, yet, they keep punting developer applications to the state. At the same time, the Growth Machine lobbyists promoting developer applications judged to be violations are promoting changes that would eviscerate the state agency whose opinion the commissioners profess to want. If this isn't government designed to fail, I don't know what is.
Clean Water Action Dawn Shirreffs countered Joe Martinez. Noting the huge volume of empty retail, office and housing in the Kendall Commons area, Shirreffs argued that you can't "build it and they will come. We built it, and they are not coming." That's too much common sense. Tropical Audubon Society Laura Reynolds held up a photo of the Kendall Commons site with a "For Sale" sign on it. Just what we have said: the Urban Development Boundary is all about land speculators, flippers, and political insiders trying to cash out of property bought too high. Change the underlying zoning, recoup some cost from another vulture willing to sit on the property until the markets return.
The only surprise, and it raised some eyebrows: African American county commissioner Audrey Edmunson voted against the application. Perhaps it is becoming clearer, in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression, that encouraging more suburban sprawl comes at the cost to inner city taxpayers and residents who end up funding the costs and diversion of public resources to outlying areas. Also voting "no"-- the right vote-- were Katy Sorenson, Rebeca Sosa, and Chairman Dennis Moss. If Sally Heymann had been there-- she wasn't-- and if Carlos Gimenez had voted with the minority, as he usually does on UDB changes, the measure would have been defeated. Instead, local activists and community organizers will chase, again, into the rabbit hole of state review, sending the controversy far from the prying eyes of local constitutents; a diversion of energy and talent and money that may in itself be the point of these senseless attempts to circumvent responsible planning in Miami-Dade County.
16 comments:
"commission voted to "transmit" without recommendation the application for Kendall Commons "
Actually today's application was for Ferro - Kendall Commons is a project a few blocks away that the unreformable majority moved the UDB for is currently in foreclosure with infrastrcutre but no buildings whatsoever. Kudos for Edmunson for seeing the light and stopping unwarranted growth.
I heard the commissioners say they wanted the state of Florida's feedback? WHY? They didn't pay any attention to it for the Lowe's Store so why do they need their feedback for this? Truly, they are a bunch of a-holes.
actually the application needed a solid seven votes to get transmitted to Tallahassee. If any of the "yes" votes had been a "no" the item would have died there. If Gimenez had voted to hold the line, that would have been it.
Instead lobbyist Diaz de la Portilla, who is running for State Senate, gets to waste our money on reviews by DCA and then fight for this nonesense again in six months.
Commissioner Gimenez voted in favor of the application to move the UDBLine?!?! Ahhhh.... What a tremendous dissapointment. I am almost disgusted.
He said he was voting to move it to the DCA and that he probably wouldn't vote in favor of it if it came in with an unfavorable review from the DCA. A technical difference from what you said Milly
Look, it is clear that even the guys who are financed by developers are squirming. That is something. I am not happy, however, that Gimenenz did what he did. What is up with that?
He has been strange as of late...he also moved that rock mining at the dade collier airport out of committee.
I'd be willing to bet, that no matter what the State says, Gimenez will vote against moving this thing along any further.
I would venture a guess that the change in his demeanor lately has been to a more pragmatic Gimenez, and not just being another Regalado "No Man" (although it seemed to work for Tomas, didn't it?).
Lets see what happens over the next 10 days.
m
The Vile one once again berated a speaker who was saying College educated people are leaving and not coming back. VNS said something to the effect that College educated people are coming back to Hialeah. Well, to the Vile One, you're wrong!
6. Hialeah, Fla.
Net Migration Since 2000: -15,673
2008 Population (Est.): 210,542
Decline Since 2000: -6.9 percent
Change From 2007-2008:-0.1 percent
2009 Average Home Price:,$161,194
The Vile one once again berated a speaker who was saying College educated people are leaving and not coming back. VNS said something to the effect that College educated people are coming back to Hialeah. Well, to the Vile One, you're wrong!
6. Hialeah, Fla.
Net Migration Since 2000: -15,673
2008 Population (Est.): 210,542
Decline Since 2000: -6.9 percent
Change From 2007-2008:-0.1 percent
2009 Average Home Price:,$161,194
To those of you who do not understand my vote yesterday, let me clarify it for you. I have consistently voted to transmit with no recommendation to get comments from DCA even when I do not support a particular application. Check the records. I stated very cleary that I did would not vote for this application once it gets back in April unless there was compelling reasons given by DCA to do that. I do not believe that will happen. I have been a consistent vote NOT to move the UDB. I am not turning more "pragmatic", this is simply how I have dealt with CDMP aplications all along.
Amazing that once again we get news from EyeonMiami and the Herald is MUM. What exactly are you doing Mr. Gyllenhaal????
I also heard that the applicant had his own property up for sale? So he just wants to flip it for profit? Why am I not suprised.
Comm. Edmunson - thank you for seeing the light!
I wish all former commissioners or electeds of any kind were banned from lobbying afterward. Politicol careers have become a launching pad for a-holes like De la Portilla
I find it interesting that Commissioner Gimenez's son, Carlos Jr., is Miguel Diaz de La Portilla's associate at Becker & Poliakoff. Maybe that helped win his vote.
From Carlos Jr's public biograph at Becker Poliakoff: "Carlos has close personal ties to many of Miami Dade County 's elected and appointed governmental officials."
It is so obvious to any intelligent planner that Miami-Dade County should promote urban infill and Eastward Ho before even considering any expansion west into the Everglades.
Urban Infill is eco-friendly and it promotes short commutes and walkable neighborhoods.
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